SENS Genset Starting Education Module #6: Battery Charging Basics

Genset Starting Education Module #6: Battery Charging Basics

William F Kaewert
SENS – Stored Energy Systems LLC

This section discusses basic battery charging concepts and explains the relationship of battery
characteristics of self-discharge and internal resistance to the charger’s float and boost charging modes,
respectively.

Battery charging fundamentals

As with any reservoir, storage batteries can be drained (discharged), filled again (charged) and kept full
despite leakage (float charged to offset self-discharge).

The illustration below makes an analogy of the different operating modes of a storage battery to a
reservoir of fluid (a water tower). The force of gravity represents the battery’s electrical potential (volts).
The battery’s capacity is represented by how full the water tower is. A leaky outlet valve represents the
battery’s tendency to discharge itself. The flow of water up into the tower represents battery charging
current.

Figure D illustrates the fundamental concept of battery charging. When pressure, the electrical
equivalent of which is voltage, is sufficiently high the battery will accept current from the charger. The
rate at which current flows into the battery can be adjusted changing the charger’s voltage. The charger
does not force current into the battery; rather the battery accepts current from the charger when the
charger’s voltage is higher than battery voltage. A large difference in voltage between charger and
battery enables the battery to accept more current, subject to the charger’s current limit. 1 Conversely, a
small difference in voltage between charger and battery enables the battery to accept only a small
amount of current.

1
Battery chargers are current-limited to prevent excess current flow from damaging the charger or operating its
protective fuses or circuit breakers.
Copyright © 2012 William F Kaewert, SENS - Stored Energy Systems LLC
 SENS Genset Starting Education Module #6: Battery Charging Basics

Illustration: Battery & water tower analogy; Storage reservoir = battery Water main = charger
A B
Battery self-discharge Battery maintained in a charged state

Self-discharge allows Float charge current offsets

capacity to gradually battery self-discharge,
leak away Battery
keeping battery topped up
charger

C D
Battery discharge Battery recharge

Load current exceeds

charger input, causing Charge current exceeds load
battery to discharge & self-discharge, enabling
Battery Battery state of charge to increase
Load
charger charger

Relationship of battery self-discharge to float voltage and current

Self-discharge is the tendency for all batteries to discharge by themselves over time, depicted above in
Figure A. Lead-acid and Ni-Cd batteries self-discharge quickly compared to consumer type dry cells. Self-
discharge limits lead-acid batteries to a maximum of six months’ shelf life after last charge before
irreversible sulfation occurs. Storage in hot climates can halve this duration. Ni-Cd batteries also suffer
damage if left off charge too long, but often can be resurrected through a process of many cycles of
aggressive charging and discharging.

Float charging, depicted in Figure B, counters battery self-discharge. When voltage applied by the
charger is correct, current flow from charger into battery will slightly exceed self-discharge current. This
net excess current 2 flow into the battery dissociates water-based electrolyte into hydrogen and oxygen
gases that, in a flooded battery, escape to the atmosphere from the battery’s vent caps. This slow loss
creates the need for periodic maintenance and water addition. In an AGM/VRLA type battery, the net
excess current gets absorbed into the oxygen recombination reaction 3 in which hydrogen and oxygen
gases are combined back into water inside each battery cell under slight pressure.

The above description is accurate only when the charging voltage is ideal. When charging voltage is
higher than the ideal value (overcharging), the excess current accelerates the rate at which hydrogen and
oxygen gases are generated. In a flooded battery this faster water use shortens maintenance intervals. As

2
Float current into the battery minus self-discharge current.
3
Also known as “recombinant lead-acid”.
Copyright © 2012 William F Kaewert, SENS - Stored Energy Systems LLC
SENS Genset Starting Education Module #6: Battery Charging Basics

long as a flooded battery is kept filled, the risk of catastrophic failure under overcharge conditions is little
greater than when properly charged. This is not true with an AGM/VRLA battery. When a VRLA battery is
overcharged, gas is generated faster than the recombination reaction can convert it back into water.
When excess gas pressure inside a battery cell exceeds a pre-set release value (about 5 psi), gas is vented
to the atmosphere through a pressure relief valve. Each time the relief valve operates, the battery dries
out a little, and the battery’s conductivity and performance drop. This is a problem because once lost,
electrolyte cannot be replaced in an AGM/VRLA battery. AGM/VRLA batteries contain no extra
electrolyte, so correct charging of AGM/VRLA batteries is thus essential to achieving the battery’s
intended life.

“Boost charging” shortens recharge time by enabling the charger to spend more time
delivering its maximum current
All batteries suffer from internal resistance, represented below as a resistor connected in series with an
ideal battery. Attempting to charge a battery faster by attaching a huge charger operating at the float
voltage does not deliver hoped-for increase in recharge speed because battery internal resistance
consumes a greater portion of charging current as charge current increases.

Illustration: Battery internal resistance and effective charging voltage comparison

Ideal Internal
battery resistance

Instead, the most effective way to reduce charging time is to temporarily increase charging voltage
above the normal float setting during battery recharge. This is called “boost charging”. Excess voltage
applied to the battery compensates for voltage lost to the battery’s internal resistance. Operating at the
higher boost voltage allows the battery to accept the charger’s maximum current longer than it would at
float voltage. When the battery reaches full charge, the charger’s voltage must be reduced to the correct
float voltage. If this transition is not made, or is made long after the battery reaches full charge, the
battery will be overcharged and may be damaged.

Alternatives for controlling when the charger operates in boost or float mode
The charging performance gain enabled by boost charging is accompanied by risk of overcharging.
Several alternatives are available to control the charger’s operating mode so that the charger reverts to
float mode once the battery is charged. The strengths and weaknesses of these are compared below in
the table below. Fully automatic boost control systems are strongly recommended for genset battery
charging.

Copyright © 2012 William F Kaewert, SENS - Stored Energy Systems LLC

SENS Genset Starting Education Module #6: Battery Charging Basics

Table: Comparison of boost mode control methods

Boost mode Advantage Disadvantage Comment

control
Manual boost None Easy to forget and leave Poor choice for unattended sites.
mode switch charger in boost mode. High risk of overcharging the battery.
Requires user judgment to Not recommended.
decide when to start and
stop boost charging.
Manually Timer limits overcharge Requires user judgment to Timer function is better than a
initiated boost damage potential; decide when boost charging switch. Acceptable solution at
timer enables user to is needed. Requires user attended sites. Not recommended
manually initiate judgment to decide how for unattended sites with lead-acid
4,5
equalize charge. long to set timer. batteries. Recommended for sites
with Ni-Cd batteries.
Automatic Automatically enters Users accustomed to Recommended for unattended sites.
boost on and exits boost based on controlling boost of the
battery battery discharge. charger may feel lack of
discharge Operates on pre- control with a fully
determined rules. automated system.
Periodic Meets the need of Ni-Cd More complex system that Function should be used only with
automatic batteries for periodic requires a microprocessor to Ni-Cd batteries.
boost to boost charging to keep time.
equalize the maintain full capacity.
battery

Summary of key points

1. The charger does not force current into the battery; rather the battery accepts current from the
charger when the charger’s voltage is higher than battery voltage.

2. Float charging counters battery self-discharge. Float is the voltage at which a fully charged
battery is maintained at a state of high charge. During float charging, current into the battery
very slightly exceeds the battery’s self-discharge rate.

3. “Boost” charge is an elevated voltage mode that shortens recharge time by enabling the charger
to spend more time delivering its maximum current.

4. The most effective way to reduce charging time is to temporarily increase charging voltage above
the normal float setting during battery recharge.

5. Fully automatic boost charging mode control systems are strongly recommended for genset
battery charging.

4
“Equalize” charging is the application of the boost charge voltage to an already charged battery. This deliberately
overcharges the battery for the purpose of increasing capacity of the weakest cells in the battery string.
5
“Equalizing is an overcharge performed on flooded lead acid batteries after they have been fully charged. It
reverses the buildup of negative chemical effects like stratification, a condition where acid concentration is greater
at the bottom of the battery than at the top. Equalizing also helps to remove sulfate crystals that might have built
up on the plates. If left unchecked, this condition, called sulfation, will reduce the overall capacity of the battery.
Many experts recommend that batteries be equalized periodically, ranging anywhere from once a month to once or
twice per year. However, Trojan only recommends equalizing when low or wide ranging specific gravity (+/- 0.015)
are detected after fully charging a battery.” Source Trojan Battery Company
Copyright © 2012 William F Kaewert, SENS - Stored Energy Systems LLC